Automatic cooker



6 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed May 4, 1950 Attorneys M y 26, 9 H. L. LAWSON 2,639,

AUTOMATIC COOKER Filed May 4, 1950 6 Sheets-5heet 2 y 26, 1953 H. L. LAWSON 2,639,657

AUTOMATIC COOKER Filed May 4, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor May 26, 1953 H. L. LAWSON AUTOMATIC COOKER 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 4, 1950 Fly, \9

HOZgQZ'ZcZW/SOYZ/ Inventor Attorney;

y 6, 953 H. L. LAWSON 2,639,657

AUTOMATIC COOKER Filed llay 4, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 2.: 1 II: n ,lnventor Attorneys y 26, 3 H. L. LAWSON 2,639,657

- AUTOMATIC COOKER Filed May 4, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 071/ Inventor Attorneys Patented May 26, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC COOKER Holger L. Lawson, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application May 4, 1950, Serial N 0. 159,950

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to cookers and, more particularly, automatic time and temperature controlled food cookers.

The main object of the invention resides in the provision of means of the character described highly efficient for the purpose in view.

Another object is the provision of a food cooker adapted to prepare small portions in rapid succession for retaining the tastiness of freshlycooked food.

A further object contemplates an automatic food cooker which is free of cooking odours and fumes.

Still another object provides for a device of the character described having means for automatically regulating the time of cooking as well as the temperature thereof.

A still further object envisages an automatic cooker of rugged construction, foolproof operation and obtainable at a reasonable cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent, or be pointed out further, during the description to follow.

As an example, and for purposes of illustration only, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the annexed drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the cooker with the loading door open,

Figure 2 is a similar partial view showing the door closed,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the said cooker,

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of the apparatus with the cover removed, showing a part of the frying basket,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the complete movable basket holder Figure 6 is a partial vertical section through the top of said basket holder;

Figure 7 is a Vertical section through the apparatus of the invention showing the basket in raised inoperative position;

Figure 8 is an elevation of the timing mechanism in the inactive position corresponding to the raised basket of Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 7 but showing the basket immersed in the frying medium;

Figure 10 is also an elevation of the timer in operation and corresponding to the basket position of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a partial enlarged and lower side view of the timer;

Figure 12 is a front elevation of the timer balance wheel;

Figure 13 is a vertical section through the upper part of the apparatus as the basket is removed or inserted;

Figure 14 is a longitudinal section through the clutch of the timer; 7

Figure 15 is a transverse section thereof;

Figure 16 is a perspective of the clutch spring;

Figure 17 is a plan view of the timer tripper arm;

Figure 18 is an elevation of said tripper;

Figure 19 is an elevation of a spring-loaded tension lever;

Figure 20 is an elevation of a thermostat bulb Figure 21 is a transverse section through said bulb;

Figure 22 is a perspective of the timer locking latch, and

Figure 23 is a perspective of a support bracket for the rod of the holder pulley.

Referring to the drawings, wherein similar reference characters represent corresponding parts throughout, the reference letter C designates the casing of the cooker, which casing rests in a base 25 supported onto legs 26 and carrying an onand-ofi? switch 27 as well as an adjustable thermostatic switch 28. The casing is a cylinder open at the topand having an aperture 29 closed by a sliding door 30; likewise, a removable cover 3i serves to close the open top of the casing.

As shown to advantage in Figures 34 7-9, the casing C is provided at the back thereof with a vertical narrow box 13 enclosing the timing mechanism to be described later.

Inside the casing, at the bottom thereof, there is disposed a hollow member 35 suitably spaced from the side and bottom walls of said casing, which member is depressed at the upper inside portion to form a well 36. In this well a container 31 is suspended by means of a marginal flange 38 engaging the top edge of 35; the container is adapted to hold a quantity of frying medium, such as grease or a vegetable oil, heated by means of an electric heatin element 39 disposed immediately thereunder controlled by the thermostatic bulb 40 and the switch 28.

In and. out of the container 37' a holder H is movable, said holder having for its function to support the food basket 42 and a domed cover 43. In Figure 5, the holder generally shown at H consists in a funnel-like structure having a lower sleeve 4| and an upper larger sleeve 44, both of which are connected by a short tapered neck 45. The upper sleeve 44 is cut at 45, to form a large notch permitting passage of the basket 42; and at the back also notched at 41 to provide tongues 48, struck from the sleeve wall, and folged back thereagainst as shown in Figures 4 an 5.

The holder acts as a support for a basket 42-of shaped tha i sw ng u o t ewer th Pe To closethe tcp ofithe holder, s .asLto Qrevent sputtering of the frying medium outside thereof, to conserve heat and condense vapors back.

into the container 31, the pivoted cover 4 3 i s pivotally mounted in the mouth of the holder onto an arched pivot rod 54 to which it is. weldgdsaitl rod being pivoted in suitable apertures formed at the edge of sleeve 46 (Fig. 5); Thusflthe comermoves along an are as it oscillates back andiorth around its pivot.

Inside the cover there is secured aspur 55, one end of which 56 extends through said cover as a lug 51 to which one end of 'a'spring is ateehee; e et end of .s lse e he h he lt the l w eas o he teh 4'7. i u h mehh that this end of the spring is anchored in a plane lower han that 9 the e t The e hltese setiqh l en hhs t he d t e ye ih e esee 9. 9p position as the case may 'be. The spur is so ket,

whenthe 99elil e ei. this-.9). o the way of said basket in open position of 9W?! .1 99Q$ 1l?l? 11h? hs nti h, 9f

basket inside the holder acts to push the spur and aut mat ca ly sna t e eere sh t- The. .he h holder is completed-by the addition ,of a bail 59, to wh t-h the $93 1 eehle e wir .89: .is e he er .reis hs he asket 9. 9f the hr hs med um,

h tabl 9- is pa sed eve a lease mi lerli hh ert d. b mo a sh ft -62 :h ld a th pe t ees hs h .th e. .e h aehets t3; th mirh se-ei th s .-e .meh i- 16. ea l t e sha t a d I; e e t li t t ezh the top. (Figs. 47-23) F o sin C t ble '59 extends pa er .e secnnd u le into the, timin hex and dew dla herein t t e upper e he ateh pl t-e able in a fixed bracket. 51; lib? lower end of he plate is se med t ha t e hl L53 the p e end e ee eh i s 1 its lev h h a teth. ehes .B-. Said p n s so si ned and .tehst h that t e Phil he eo o h sable -i .-e. ".e ter .t.he .t ee mr hed w igh of the 1 Si i .the.h sket.. ,.ai1s e eed he e thusthe rihatehds .t v h l e holder rais d. atellthhes In order. tests: bilize nd e ua i lthisse t eh however. a i ht H is slipped inside ,the springand attached. to the lower endof cable 68.

A second cable 12 is also attachedtothe lower end of 1a e e..6. said .eeh eheinat eih ov e ow lle ..3.., .h. hithe Rhhe M-em attachedto the upper. end pr a second helical e es 1- seit sprins hams-eh. inst. u n a d im t n rod. li thea re ehtt hi the h her se utede yel .fle i .hle etetr n eq ee der eahlefl h ehleq rt .exteh lsdew e r lvt e imehme hehi smfi t she. hhe tlr described.

"of the spring around the sleeve.

in the sub-frame and to which a sleeve 86 is also pinned: thus, both gear 8| and sleeve are secured to the shaft. Freely mounted over said sleeve, between gear 8| and frame 80, there is provided a spool 88 divided in two adjacent sections by a central flange 89; said spool is bored axially to fit very loosely over the sleeve 86. The space between said sleeve and spool is taken up by a helical spring 9D. of flat ribbon, one end of which H is h d n a longitud nal lo f med in the sleeve: said spring is of resilient shim stock of a thickness such as to allow free rotation of the spool with little friction. This rotation is possible, however, in one direction only, namely: in the direction tending to wind the free end Thus, reverse rotation. is-che cked by the unwinding of the spring which expanding same, wedges it between sleeve and spool, in accordance with the known principle of free-wheelings and the like.

The cord I! is wound over one section of the spool, secured to-the rib-89 ,..passed through an aperture in same and therefrom to theendof. a lever pivoted to the sub-frame and urged downwardly by a spring 96. t The timer proper is completed by the addition of an oscillating disc 91' acting in much the same --fashion a's the escapement wheel of clockwork. Said disc is wheel by means'of a wirelink 9.8 folde'dat one endupon itself, hair-pin fashion, and provided with intermediate coils I00 for purposes ciirre siliency see Figures 11 and 12).

The holder is held immersed position (Figures 9 and 10), and the sprin gs i0-l 5- extended, by means of a latch QB -passing through the ear- I29 of the bracket 81- and adapted to ei'itera hole Ml of the latch plate 5%. Thus, the said plate is immobilized until thelatch-QQ is withdrawn, this action being efiectuatecl-bythe timer through the intermediary of atr-ipper arm ME-to which the latch is connected. 'Saidarm is pivoted at I93 to the box B and extends outside thereof, through an aperture N14; for engagement by a dog I05 when it is desired to dispense with the timer action (Figure 22 The tripper arm is normally actuated by gravity alone and tends to pressthe-la'tch QB- at all times against the plate 66; it is raised from an horizontal position by a stop HH adjustablysecured to an upstanding rod {08} extending through a slot [Mi-of the arm, and secured tot-he lower end of spring 15.

The operation of the timer is as follows: When the holder lowered into the f I the cables 68 and l2 a re h n i as be. he; n Ti -a s m spring. is to the cord it ts ii w iiic the same, rotating the spool .88; si c e h o wever, the coiled spring Eli prevents free "rotation of the ng medium, 18

steel 1 .i eh ieeth .hhwihthhe flee the disk 91 to over-run against the resilience of the link. The result of this arrangement is a continuous slow rotation of the wheel 84 in one direction while the disk oscillates back and forth. The rotation of the wheel 84 permits the slow unwinding of the cord from the spool and a corresponding slow shortening of the spring 15 until the stop lill' lifts the arm I02 to retract the latch 99 from engagement with the plate 69. The disengaged plate now liberates the cables 68 and 72 permitting retraction of the spring and rais-- ing of the holder H. As the spring 10 retracts, the spring also retracts until this retraction is arrested by the limiting rod 15. As the spring I0 continues to retract, the spring 15, together with the limiting rod 76, descend under their own weight and the spring 96 acting on lever 95 and cord '11, rotates the spool 88 in the free-wheeling direction thereby rewinding the cord 11 so as to shorten the portion of said cord between spring 75 and spool 88, until the timer is reset for further operation.

As explainedipreviously, the retraction of spring Hi will cause raising of the holder and basket from the frying medium, whereby cooking of the food in said basket is at once interrupted, and the attendant is warned by the position of the grasp 5! which is raised at the side of the door 99 by the basket itself (see Fig. 1)

Other features of the cooker include stops I I5, secured on the inside of the casing, to prevent rotation of the holder by engagement with the lugs 48, and a vapor-condensing arrangement preventing escape of fumes and cooking odours in the surrounding atmosphere, For that purpose, the hollow member 35 is held spaced from the casing and supported in the base 25 onto blocks 1 16 to provide a space also underneath said memher. A drain I I1 is provided in the center of the base for conducting away water resulting from the condensation of steam and vapours on the cold walls of the casing. Similarly, the concave bottom of the well 35 is drained through the pipe H8 into the base 25; consequently, the entire mechanism can be removed through the top of the casing for servicing, or cleaning.

Again for eliminating odors and fumes, the door 39 is fitted so as to slide up and down in slides slightly converging downwardly: therefore, said door is wedged more or less, when closed, to make a tight fit: the slide arrangement is clearly shown in Figures 4 and 9.

From the foregoing description, it should be apparent that the present invention is an advance in the art of food cooking, especially frying in grease and oils. As conceived, the cooker of the invention is entirely automatic when adjusted for a particular food: for instance, fried potatoes or chips are especially adaptable and the cooking thereof once regulated for a given quantity to be fried is both easy and rapid.

More particularly, it is intended that small portions only be cooked since the action is so quick and eiiortless requiring no attention on the part of the operator. Besides, cooking in fat may not be relegated to far corners of the kitchen because the cooker operates perfectly without odours, or fumes, if the thermostatic switch is correctly set to keep the temperature of the frying medium below the charring or smoking point.

It must be understood that various changes as to the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In combination, an openable enclosure, a frying bath inside said enclosure, a basket holder lowerable in the bath, a basket removably supported by said holder, a first cord attached to said holder for suspending the same, a first spring secured to said first cord for raising said basket holder from the bath, a latch for holding the basket holder down against the action of said first spring, and a timing mechanism for releasing said latch comprising a second spring attached at one end to said first cord, a second cord attached to the other end of said second spring, a free-wheeling clutch comprising an external flanged pulley, an internal shaft, a coil spring separating the pulley from the shaft, one end of said coil spring secured to said shaft, a gear wheel keyed to said shaft, said second cord wound around the flanged pulley of said clutch, a third spring attached to the free end of said second cord for freely rotating said external pulley of said clutch when the tension of said second spring is released, said second spring urging rota tion of said gear wheel, a gear train meshing with said gear wheel, an oscillating disc connected to said gear wheel, and abutment means associated with said second spring for releasing said latch when tension on said second spring is released.

HOLGER L. LAWSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,128,995 Mayer Feb. 16, 1915 1,812,266 Hummel et al June 30, 1931 1,866,808 Ireland July 12, 1932 1,890,737 Leweke Dec. 13, 1932 1,977,454 Price Oct. 16, 1934 2,039,956 Graham May 5, 1936 2,171,510 Stirwolt Aug. 29, 1939 2,177,166 Bemis Oct. 24, 1939 2,196,968: Bemis Apr. 16-, 1940 2,221,863 Crane Nov. 19, 1940 2,274,724 McCullough Mar. 3, 1942 2,427,564 Claire Sept. 16, 1947 

